1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear measuring device for measuring the relative position of a first machine element with respect to a second machine element. The first machine element is a base of a machine tool, for example, and the second machine element is the machine carriage which can be displaced with respect to the base.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the exact position measurement in connection with machine tools and coordinate measuring machines, the scales, or the scale supports, are elaborately fastened, aligned parallel with the measuring direction, wherein the measuring direction is predetermined by the guide system of the machine tool or the measuring machine. A step for alignment is described in DE 199 14 311 A1 and DE 197 00 367 A1, for example.
However, in connection with linear measuring devices, wherein the scale has been protectively arranged in a housing, these steps cannot be taken at all, or only with difficulty.